PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS THREAD NEEDS UPDATING TO BE IN LINE WITH RAVERAN 1114. THIS NOTE WILL BE REMOVED WHEN THE THREAD IS FULLY UP TO DATE.

New to the Drowtales Roleplay forum? This thread contains general guidelines which apply here, as well as world-setting information and information on playable races and clans.

You'll find information about joining and submitting a character in the REGISTRATION THREAD. Note that the REGISTRATION thread is only for character submissions only. If you need help or are new, see below.

For readers that are new to the world of Drowtales, you can get a good grasp of the world setting by reading the READERS GUIDE TO DROWTALES. If you have questions, want to introduce yourself, wish to have a discussion or need help with your character sheet, direct your posts to the NEWBIE SCHOOL thread.

For information on the specific fields of the character sheet please read the Character Review Guidelines. This topic also has information about common worldsetting errors and mana use which can be of help when creating a character.

On to the rules:

First and foremost: No interaction with Kern's NPCs, not in your background and not in-game.

Second: You must confirm to the worldsetting. An approved character is necessary in order to begin play.

Third: This is a free-form roleplay game, so you are not dependent upon a GM to play. You may freely govern your own adventures in private threads, whereas NPCs in the general public areas are subject to GM control. Controlling NPCs in the general public areas is fine as long as you do not make them act out of character, or have them perform actions which go against the worldsetting. Controlling an NPC currently controlled by a GM or Storyteller is considered bad form, as there is probably a point to that character being GM-controlled.

Fourth: Going against the worldsetting may result in the following in order of increased severity; A request from the GM to edit your post, a request from the GM to change course of action / story, post edited by GM, post deleted by GM, story closed by GM.

Fifth: You may have more than one character in any one city, but there is to be no interaction between your own characters. Your characters may never be in the same thread at the same time, nor may they interact via intermediates.

Sixth: Any player can take the place of Storyteller, inviting other players to join them in an adventure and controlling the NPCs and situations they meet. The story may take place in the general public areas or move into a private thread.

Seventh: Anyone may create a location that does not already exist, as long as it does not go against the worldsetting. The first post in any location thread must describe the location. Private threads may span one or more locations, allowing a complete story to be played out in one thread.

Eighth: No god-moding. You may not automatically land a hit on any other character, nor NPC. You may not control other player characters. You may not make yourself invincible by dodging every attack or spell performed by your opponent(s). The result of an attack on an NPC is to be determined by the GM/Storyteller. An attack on a player should be resolved beforehand through PMs, so you can play out the result in the thread. A good rule of thumb is to look at your character's skill and experience, versus that of her opponent, in order to resolve the situation.

Okay, with the new information about Val status it is time to add a little clarification on how that works in the DT rpg.

A val is a noble in the Great Clan's main bloodline. This means that in most cases a val is too close to one of Kern's NPCs, thus violating the "no interaction" rule.

A val gets to add the title Val/Vel (depending on the clan) to the clan name, whereas other members do not.

A female val's children are also val. A male val's children are not val, unless their mother is val.

A member of a subhouse is automatically assumed not to have val status, unless the val line is so large it has spawned offshoots who have founded their own subhouses.

Note that minor clans, while in possession of a main bloodline, do not get to use the val title, because it is reserved for the great clans.

Also, it is advised to avoid val status except in the case of the Beldrobbaen, which is the only clan we can absolutely say who has val status and who hasn't. Uncertainty concerning some clans, as well as definite information about other clans, lead to restrictions on val status.

With that in mind, here are the general guidelines for each playable Great Clan.

Beldrobbaen - All born nobles in the Beldrobbaen clan are val, including those born into subhouses. Nal'Sarkoth - Only Kern's NPCs are val. Illhar'dro - Only Kern's NPCs are val. Kyorl'solenurn - Only Kern's NPCs are val. Sarghress - Only Kern's NPCs are val.Sharen - Only Kern's NPCs are val. Sullisin'rune - Considering Sullisin'rune promiscuity it is probably safe to say val status is possible, if suitably far removed from Kern's NPCs. Subhouses with val status also possible, if suitably far removed from Kern's NPCs.Vloz'ress - Only Kern's NPCs are val.

Basically, if you want to experiment with playing a proper Val character, it's something you can do in the DT Freestyle subforum

Restrictions come into place when something which is supposed to be extremely rare becomes commonplace in the DT rpg. Restricted status means the character sheet and background are measured against a higher standard than normal, and is more likely not to be approved.

Currently the following are restricted in the DT rpg: Renegade Drowussu. (Former Dutan'vir with no Kyorl affiliation are not considered renegade.)Vals of most clans. (See the Val clarification post above.)

Some things are not allowed in the DT rpg at all, due to violating the first rule, due to conflict with the power level of the DT rpg, or due to very little defining information existing at this time.

Currently the following are disallowed in the DT rpg:Imperial Family SharenJaal'daryaDemonsNidraa'chalDutan'vir ValsLightning/Electricity sorcery/high artExplosive powder (unless character is a free dvergar - Please note this does *not* mean dvergar can have guns.)Dark Elves Tei'kaliathGuns/Muskets (do not exist)Non-Illhar'dro Spellsong (ie, no characters outside the Illhar'dro clan can have spellsong)

Fae: Drowolath - The dark-skinned descendants of the dokkalfar, and the most prevalent of the drow races. Drowussu - The light-skinned descendants of the dokkalfar, according to public knowledge. Based in Chel'el'sussoloth. Light Elf - Native surfacers, these elves are considered inferior to drow, and are usually found serving as slaves. Ver'drowendar - The "evolved"; Also known as 'the tainted', these drow have - willingly or not - had a demon seed inserted into their aura. While this makes them virtually immune to possession by any other demon, it makes them vulnerable to being taken over by their own seed, a process some describe as 'inevitable'. Xuile'solen - The Sightless are generally outcasts, living on the fringes of society and beyond. They have no eyes, but have a well developed sense of smell. Their auras are stunted, and they have a short life expectancy. In the wild, they live shorter than 200 years, but in drow society their lifespans approach that of a regular drow commoner. Xuile'solen cannot use mana arts. Ne'kalsaider - Natural driders, half drowolath and half spider. They were born (or hatched) this way, and have never had only two legs. They develop and have a lifespan similar to drowolath, and they have many of the same abilities. Ne'kalsaider can spin their own silk, but as far as we know they are not venomous in any way.

Non-fae:Goblins (Halmes, Emberi, Rift-halmes) - Your basic humanoid. Emberi are vaguely asian-like and come from a different continent, Rift-halmes are blind, destitute creatures living in the Rift of Chel'el'Sussoloth, descendants of the Halmes found near the Sea of Mist. Goblins (Kotorc) - Kotorcs are short and stocky, with green-ish or gray-green skin, sparse hair. Not easily roused, but can be driven into a frenzy if provoked. Generally peaceful and simple, often found as slaves or menial laborers as they are omnivores and easy to train. Goblins (Noz) - Meat-eating cousins of the kotorcs, the furry Noz' native habitate is in the far north. They are aggressive and nomadic, and rarely found in the Underworld. Dvergar - Original inhabitants of the underworld, they were driven from their homes by the arriving dokkalfar, and have been forced to retreat into areas in which the drow cannot live. Able to exist in highly toxic areas. The only race to have knowledge of explosive powder. Feral - Cat-like humanoids from the surface. They are capable of learning how to speak, but without training they are unlikely to be able to hold even the simplest of conversations. Without instruction they will be like their name implies - feral. Their society is tribal in nature, though more civilized groups exist in forgotten dokkalfar ruins. Ferals are also bred for servitude or slavery, and these are the ones most commonly found.

Starting cities: Allowed racesVal'Raveran: Any race may start in Val'Raveran as a free person, but some races have a harder time than others making ends meet.

Recommended ages suitable for a DT rpg characterExceptions on both sides of the scale are possible, but require more of the character's background. The power limit may not be exceeded with advanced age. Subject to change.

Fae (general): 15 - 300 (15 being the physical equivalent of a human at 7.5 years old)Xuile'solen (specific): 15-140 (Xuile'solen have much shorter lifespans than drowolath and generally do not live past 200)Dvergar: 14-80 (We unfortunately do not know how long a dvergar's lifespan is, so the assumed maximum age will be 120-135 until further notice)Ferals: 10-25 (Mental development is slower than in humans but physical development is roughly the same, perhaps a little faster)

Many items are just like you'd expect them to be. Some items are more unusual. Here is a short explanation of some items, more to be added on request.

Golem limbsLegs, arms, hands and feet can be replaced by golems of varying complexity. Most commonly found on the rich, as even the simplest golem requires a lot of skill and expensive materials to create. They need to be custom fit to the user, and cannot simply be transfered from one person to another. While a golem may be made to enhance vision it cannot replace an actual eye.

Bio-golem replacementsJaal'darya creations which give a more natural replacement to almost all body parts one can imagine, including eyes. Currently disallowed in the DT rpg due to the necessity of Jaal'darya connections and the extreme price of bio-golems in general.

HeatstonesRound or oval gemstones the size of a drow hand from the fingertips to the wrist, flat on two sides. The bottom side is always cool to the touch, whether the heatstone is active or not. A heatstone is charged with basic mana, and once it is full it generates ambient heat for a total of 8 hours before the last energy has dissipated. This is what drow use instead of fires to heat their households and even replaces the traditional campfire surfacers are used to. A heatstone cannot be used to light things on fire, but it is best not to place something on top of one, since it'll most likely turn to ash (if it's thin) or be blackened (if it's not).

A heatstone can also be used for cooking. By placing a drow-made pot, pan, wok or other similar item on the heatstone, the heatstone's mode will change. The stored energy will deplete much faster, as the heatstone functions as a hotplate with one of these items placed on it. Good heatstones can function as hotplates for up to 2 hours before all their stored energy is used up. Please note this only works with drow-made pots and pans, because they are designed to work together with heatstones. Placing an ordinary metal pot on a heatstone would only blacken it.

Accessories like heatstone holders/docks are available for a price, but are not necessary to make use of a heatstone.

DvergarDvergar lived in the Underworld long before the dokkalfar appeared, long before the elven children turned into what we know as 'drow' - creatures of the Underworld. So-called 'elementals', the dvergar do not have the ability to bend mana to their will, nor to produce mana, but they are still affected by their environment just like the fae, their appearances different from one area of the Underworld to the next. (We do not currently know anything more about what 'elementals' are, so for the purposes of the DT rpg, the only effect until notified otherwise is on their appearance as described in this post.)

The typical dvergar is short, around 4-5 feet tall, stocky and has skin the color of raw rock. Their skin color varies with the rock types found in the area where they were born, thus giving Chelian-born dvergar a rather uniform skin color while wildborn dvergar can have highly varied skin colors. A dvergar is typically balding, with body hair resembling organic roots. A dvergar born in an area with a lot of light will have large eyes, whereas a true dvergar from the darkest depths will have tiny, beady black eyes. Some will ocasionally call the larger-eyed dvergar 'gnomes', a derogatory term derived from one of the words the elves used about the Underworld's original inhabitants.

Dvergar are known to be excellent crafters. They have a higher percentage of specialists than elves, for example, when it comes to metal and rock working. Unless the elves augment their work with earth or metal sorcery, the dvergar are both better miners and better smiths.

The dvergar are the only race with knowledge of explosive powder and how to make it. It is a well-kept secret which they have shared with no other race, and they guard the knowledge jealously. While it is fairly common for a dwarf to have explosive powder (provided he has a job in which he needs it, be it miner or warrior), the knowledge of how to make it is not held by many.

The dvergar do not have handguns or muskets. They do, however, have small cannons which can launch deadly cannon balls. They will break through a single mana shield and even the best made armor, but mana specialists working together can deflect them with some effort. They also have bombs of varying efficiency, most notably small pouches containing irritants which make the air difficult for non-dvergar to breathe. Gas masks and filters exist which can prevent this from being a problem. Generally, dvergar wear light, worked chitin armor, or kiri'su leathers. They prefer to carry ranged weapons as well as melee weapons whenever possible, short range blades being a disadvantage when fighting drow.

Dvergar society is diverse, with many different factions. While most still hold a grudge against the surfacers who invaded the Underworld, the dvergar are not united in their hatred of drow. Some dvergar are part of active resistance, most either keep away from drow or do the exact opposite, making a profit where once only hostilities existed. The Chelian Dvergar Association is an example of the latter; Acting as dvergar liaison for Chel'el'Sussoloth the association offers mining expertise, guides and run a dvergar mail service allowing Chelian dvergar to keep in touch with their cousins elsewhere. They also provide counseling in cases where drow have begun mining in dvergar territory, or where dvergar have come to reclaim their old land.

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Xuile'solenThe maximum age of a xuile'solen is less than 200 years out in the wild, or in their own society. A captive xuile'solen can live nearly as long as a drowolath commoner, as civilization offers a less risky environment, more food, and a pool of mana. Even given the best of conditions, due to their stunted aura a xuile'solen can never live as long as a 'lath given the same conditions.

There is one official settlement of xuile'solen around Char, otherwise they are usually found across the underworld, in the suburbs of big settlements.

The xuile'solen are very rare, both as slaves and especially as free citizens. They are generally the same height as 'lath but thinner, weighing less.

Being eyeless, xuile'solen possess a superior sense of smell and taste, and also have better hearing than drow. They do not have the ability to sense or 'see' auras.

Xuile'solen have a superior resistance to pure mana only. They are incapable of using mana arts.

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Kotorcs and NozA small tidbit of information can be found here: http://www.drowtales.com/wordpress/?p=2824Kotorcs are featured in MA when Ariel and the Sarghress take over the Black Dragon Tavern, and in a few other scenes, so look through the newer comic chapters for them. Noz have only been featured once so far I believe, in the page that this news article refers to.

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Ne'kalsaider and driders in generalNe'kalsaider are natural born driders, and they suffer no mental illnesses from their state as it is the only one they know. They are as strong or in some cases even stronger than drow, and they can work mana arts, but they rarely receive any schooling except what their parent(s) give them. It is rare for a Ne'kalsaider to be raised by their actual egg-mother, as there have traditionally been very few fertile Ne'kalsaider.

The Ne'kalsaider owe their existence to the drider guardians of old, but the art of creating drider guardians has long since died out, and the guardians who survived were never meant to be able to breed. Somehow, this happened anyway, and the Kyorl'solenurn see their very existance as an abomination.

For the purposes of the DT rpg, half-Ne'kalsaider of any type do not exist.

As for other driders:It used to be that we heard about waeliniders (the 'created') and streekaider (the mad). But these do not really exist anymore.

The drider guardians were popular once, and many brave warriors were transformed by skilled practicioners at death's edge, to save them and make them able to fight once more. But the drider guardians became unpopular, and the art of creating them died out completely. No one alive today knows how to create one.

The Ne'kalsaider are the offspring of those few guardians who were able to breed, and who hid their very existence from the mighty powers of Chel'el'Sussoloth for centuries.

Somewhere along the line someone (probably a Jaal) invented a new way to fuse spiders with drow, but this new method created mindless guardians of the same nature as the Vloz'ress fake nagas. They are basically the streekaider of old, but controlled by whoever owns them, rather than wild and mad.

The Beldrobbaen view these new mindless driders as vile, and would never submit one of their males to this process. Thus it is probably fair to assume that the old tradition of turning the male into a drider guardian once he'd fathered a daughter has been lost for some time, along with the loss of the knowledge of this transformation in the first place.